So What DID Happen That Night?
by storyteller362
Summary: Rachel just wanted to know if life after her decommissioning would be okay, but she wasn't expecting this. On the eve of her decommissioning Rachel gets a special visit… From her older self! Flashbacks and forwards to 1x362. Complete. One shot. Please read and review.


**Story number 8 for the anniversary stories this year. I have a few more stories left and then picking up with some other fandom stuff. In other news I've been watching Doctor Who, so you see where I got inspiration from. Also a bit of a test to see how well my future kids story rewrite will be. Hope you enjoy the 1x362 goodness in this.**

**Timeline: Nigel leaves for the GKND, they grow up, and meet again later in life.**

**Hopefully you enjoy it!**

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Rachel T. McKenzie didn't believe in many things unless proven to her. After being proved that numbuh zero was real, well, the one impossible thing that she believed was time travel. That one day she could travel forward, backward or even stop time for a minute. Maybe it would stop her from thinking about tomorrow.

Next to her bed the clock got closer and closer to midnight as she watched the numbers flip. Then looked up at her ceiling and her stomach dropped. Pulling her purple rainbow monkey to her chest she stared at her ceiling. Her white ceiling had glow in the dark star stickers on it. The faint greenish glow from it made her smile but just barely.

Her room had a weird mashed up a theme of spying and space. An entire shelf dedicated to astronomy and her entire (well most of it) Doctor Time Space and the Continuums set on it. Her old spy gear hanging out in a corner. The entire room was purple mostly, in a way it was comforting and familiar. The blond sighed, it was an hour until midnight. The next day would be her 13th birthday and her decommissioning. It was hard to believe that six years ago she had been recruited to join. Rachel had been seen spying on the front office staff, hacking into the school's database, and giving everyone an extra fifteen minutes of recess.

Then everything would change wouldn't it? Would she still have the stickers? Or would her older self find it silly? Would she still have her friends? Admittedly she never had a large group of friends. Supreme leader stuff always kept her busy and when she was a spy, well, the less the better. The only one person she had met outside of KND business was a girl in her class named Emma.

The clock slipped to midnight as she began to close her eyes. Tomorrow would come, eventually.

A whirling noise was coming from somewhere causing her to sit straight up. Her brown eyes settled on something coming into her room. Great, just great, she thought. What did the scientists do now that was interrupting her sleep?

Whoa escaped her lips as something began to form. It looked like an old British telephone box that she had seen once when she was at a doctor time space convention in London. It was darker red and the clear windows didn't seem to show anything inside it. This had to be a trick of her eye from her fatigued brain.

Then out popped a face she stifled a scream. Rachel went to reach for a weapon before remembering she gave all her 2 by 4 technology from her room to Fanny earlier in the day because of tomorrow.

"Hello," said a teenager poking her head out into the room. Her voice had a London accent mixed in before quickly adding, "Care if we step out?"

Not sure if she was dreaming or not, Rachel just went with it for now. She had enough spying and hand to hand combat skills to do something at this point. Heck, she was the one that force-fed Father broccoli that one time. Suspicious, the girl stepped out in her red nightgown. Followed behind her was another woman. This one much older, someone who…

"Oh, my gosh I remember this room," said the woman looking around. "My favorite everyday outfit is still this shade of purple. You know your cot mobile had the same star theme. And look all my Doctor Time Space DVDs are exactly where I pictured them being."

Rachel stopped paying attention to what she was saying as she realized who she was. That was her. That was an older version of her as Rachel pinched herself. Ouch, that genuinely hurt. Panicking she gasped and backed against her headboard. Older Rachel didn't seem to notice as she poked through her stuff.

It was weird as Rachel tried to piece together what happened. She glanced at the red box in her bedroom. That wasn't exactly the kind of tardis she pictured. Pinching herself she made sure that this wasn't a dream. Maybe this was a simulation with Chester's Happy Headband. Nigel told her about that one time he was caught. Centering herself she made herself more aware of what this really was and threw her arms out hitting her mini tardis pencil holder to the floor.

She opened her eyes to see her older self looking back at her just as startled.

"Is that me?" she said dumbfound at the revelation. "This just a dream I'm sure but wow. I don't really remember being this age."

Something in her panged that she didn't really remember being this young. Her age and decommissioning combined must have caused a lot of her memories to be scattered or even forgotten. Closing her eyes briefly Rachel looked at both girls in her room.

"I, well, I will be thirteen tomorrow," she said and the older her just smiled.

"I remember being thirteen. Hoagie Gilligan was one of my first friends, we were in the Doctor Time Space fan club together. Then Abby Lincoln, we had the same English class. I've always had Sarah as my pen pal." The older her shook her head as Rachel found herself amazed, she became friends with people from sector V? "I shouldn't be telling you that. Otherwise I would know that before it happened."

Right, her decommissioning would erase this from ever happening tomorrow. Her older self could tell her anything and it would just be erased the next day. Then as if a light bulb blinked over her head, she felt a small smile form on her face. She could be told anything and it wouldn't matter. The older her would wake up clearly imagining this to be a dream.

Then there was the matter that this could be a simulation, or they were kidnapping her, or all a dream. Rachel straightened herself out and looked at the older her. "If this is real, then you can answer this honestly," she said to her.

The woman nodded understanding as the older her peeked out into the hallway. She had three questions that only her family or super close friends would know. Favorite episodes of shows, something embarrassing, where her birth mark was, that kind of thing. Satisfied with the answers and right about them Rachel looked at the machine. It couldn't just be one person that owned it.

"That could go anywhere in space and time?" asked Rachel, and the teenager nodded. How did a teenager get this? Who cares she could go anywhere!

"You know I was told that I went on a date with Nigel before I was 13. I'd like to see if that's true," said the older her snapping Rachel to look at her. A blush formed on her cheeks of Nigel Uno and that night. She remembered him, it's not like she could forget her first crush. Who knew if she's ever see him again though? He left and part of her wished that he'd come back but…

"Well then let's go," said the teenager and her older self walked into the box.

Rachel grabbed her purple robe and threw it on with her orange rainbow monkey slippers. She would make the most of her last couple of hours. She stepped onto the foreign machine and glanced around eyes widening at what she was seeing. It wasn't exactly the doctor's time machine but boy was this cool. Stunned she could only think it was bigger on the inside.

"So, a date with Nigel Uno pre-thirteen years old," said the teenager. "By the way I'm Maggie. Want to pull that lever?"

Eager Rachel pulled the lever down trying to remember when… Oh, she thought, remembering that, it'll be interesting to see from an outside perspective. The machine took off, and she looked around as they seemed to float and then the room started to turn making her and her older self get more and more excited before landing. Now that was worth it.

Maggie opened the door for them and nodded. "We just watch, no interrupting."

The older her and Rachel nodded and stepped out. They were in Hendry Middle School's gymnasium all decorated up. She shared a look with older her and pointed over to the doors. This was something that she remembered and blushed. Oh my gosh remembered how this date ended and looked over at her other self to see if she'd know.

They got closer and listened as close as possible. Like they were watching TV.

_"You got me a two-way communicator flower," said Rachel getting excited. "Thanks. I would have set mine up on the same frequency if you wanted. Oh, if you want I can record the mission. I've done it before to catch details from spy stuff."_

_Nigel looked pretty pleased with himself getting her excited like that though. A small smile on his face and ears grew red. Rachel did not notice thinking she was acting too geeky. After all, they had established that he and his team should not be treating her like she was supreme leader. In fact, she was just a regular old operative from sector w._

_"No recording necessary, I think we'd be okay without it," said Nigel as his voice trailed off. His friends had already gone off to do their own thing. Either dancing already or at the punch bowl table._

_She nodded and looked around at the room. Kids from all three schools getting to know each other. The school get together formal was where kids from the 3 local elementary school got to know each other before middle school started. She glanced at Nigel who was looking around to set up his own machine._

_"Um so," started Rachel unsure of herself. "So, um, what do we do first? I've never exactly been on a date before."_

_She slapped a hand her to mouth as Nigel looked at her a bit surprised. "Never?"_

_"Well… yea I'm not usually free to do stuff like this. I'm not exactly very girly or much of a romantic either." Another blush rose to her cheeks. Geez, her face might as well be permanently red at this point. She remembered what Lizzie was like, or at least from passing, that she was both things and more._

_Nigel paused and rubbed the back of his head for a minute. He looked like he was considering something before looking down at his communicator. "Well normally I'd be obsessing over this mission and running all kinds of tests. If you've never done that kind of that we'll do it. You should be able to experience a normal date," said Nigel seriously and a playful look in his eyes. "Come on. I'm not as good as Wally and Kuki but we can dance."_

_She watched him in amazement as he put aside the gear and took her hand. His hands felt warm before leading her out to the dance floor. A fun upbeat song filled the air as she let him lead her. Spins after spins, silly dance moves, and even a dip later that better than she thought it would be. What felt like at least fifteen minutes was only four at most. The grin on her face never leaving as she waited for what he would do next. It was fun and not what she was expecting, the smile never leaving her face._

_"Maybe some punch would be good?" she asked as the music stopped and they were very close to each other. His nose barely touching hers as she realized that he was taller than her at least by two inches by now. He used to be a little shorter. A slow song was starting and now wasn't the time for them to get romantic._

_Nigel nodded and walked over to the punch table. Ever the gentleman he got her the punch and cookies sitting out. He had a caring look on his face and smiled fondly watching her soak in the dance. She swayed a bit in her spot watching everyone dance._

_"So… what do you think middle school will be like?"_

_"Okay, I think. At least I'll have friends there who knows, maybe I'll have some good grades."_

_She laughed warmly and nodded getting that. Passing him a cookie Rachel saw him shift closer to her. Was he just as nervous as her? Or was it just the butterflies in her stomach as the gap between them closed. "This dance doesn't seem to be too bad."_

_"Yea, it's nice and the snacks are good." It was quiet between them as Nigel looked like he wanted to say something before adding in. "So, Rachel I've been curious to know…."_

_Before he could say anything there was an explosion from the other side of the gym. Nigel knew that he should have finished running his tests first. The two gave each other a nod before racing toward the loud noise getting mixed in the crowd. Figures that this was a setup. No adult was that generous with kids in middle school. The rest of their sector all piled up and joined the fight. Rachel helping as a final sixth member to finish the job. So much for a date, this wasn't something that she'd remember years from now._

_In the crowd they had found each other just in time for the fireworks to go off. Above them multi colored fireworks filled the sky. Not knowing what to do with herself Rachel shifted and reached out to hold his hand. Nigel smiled at her and squeezed it. Be cool, she wasn't a supreme leader right now. She just an eleven-year-old spending time with a boy she just so happened to really like. "Um, Nigel?"_

_Blue eyes meet her brown and those butterflies in her stomach returned. Working up enough nerve Rachel leaned in and pressed her lips up against his cheek briefly before pulling away. "Thanks for bringing me on your mission."_

_His face blank and cheeks have turned slightly pink. "You're welcome," he said leaning in to do the same and just as quickly as her_.

The older Rachel's jaw was practically on the floor. Especially after seeing that battle when she just wanted to focus on the date. She wasn't expecting to see all of that. No wonder she didn't really remember her first date.

The younger Rachel just sighed remembering what it was like to kiss him. Her hand went to cover her mouth hiding her smile as best as she could. It was one of the last things they did before the cake mission and him leaving. She wondered if she'd ever see him again. At least one last time to apologize and maybe just one more kiss.

Next to her Maggie was just giggling softly to herself. She nodded at both of them to just follow her back to their time machine. The red phone box machine still sitting where they landed it.

"How could I forget any of this?" said the older her bewildered. "I mean… I. That was my very first date and my first kiss. You're not supposed to forget that kind of stuff! Oh, who am I kidding? This is just a dream, a crazy dream that didn't really happen."

Rachel just smiled knowingly. Her older self was good at convincing herself that everything was a dream. She'd be a good oblivious adult to everything going on around her.

"How about one more place?" asked Maggie again avoiding the comments. She looked at the younger girl and nodded. "You pick."

Rachel thought about it, she really wanted to go back and see the very first time she was recruited for the KND. Then again she thought back to earlier today. She wanted to know that everything would be okay after her decommissioning. Her older self wasn't exactly telling her everything she needed to know. Just that she had become friends with sector v in high school.

"I'm not sure," she said. "I wanted something that shows a moment where just how happy I was. With my friends, just to know that everything turns out okay."

She was careful not to mention her decommissioning since that was where things would be hard to leave up to a dream or her imagination. The older her looked thoughtful before deciding on a place. She walked over to a console and changed the date to sometime later.

Not saying anything Maggie nodded at her to throw the lever.

Then flew off again which honestly made this visit a little more exciting. It was new and uncharted territory for her.

_Now they landed somewhere near an outside café. Nobody seemed to care that they were in their pajamas. At a table closer to the street was a small group of about five._

_Rachel sat near the middle of the table talking with Abby. Fiddling with her hem of her teal, white, and gray color blocked shirt she didn't pay much attention to those around her. On the other side of her was Nigel talking with Hoagie and Sonia._

_An extra large pizza was placed in front of them and cups refilled. Rachel watched herself be at total and complete ease. She had friends around her that were supportive and just great to hang out with._

_"So what's this big news that you wanted to share?" asked Abby once they were close enough to hear them._

_She blinked for a minute and felt Nigel's hand squeeze hers encouragingly with a small smile on his face. She nodded and captured everyone's attention by tapping the glass with her fork. Eyes settled on her and she just grinned at them._

_"Well, last fall I accepted an internship while I was studying in England. One of my co-workers quit leaving an opening. They extended the job to me if I wanted it and after talking with my mom. Well, I said yes and will move permanently to England. I'll become a dual citizen."_

_That caused everyone at the table to stare at her._

_"Don't think of me as leaving you guys or anything. I mean it's at a school and I'll have a school schedule. Summers, major holiday's, and the like off. I'll be back to visit you guys and maybe you can visit me."_

_It was still quiet as everyone at the table shared looks with each other. Until finally she could hear Kuki say something. "That's fantastic Rachel," she said happily. "And Paris is across the channel I call having Christmas in England as soon as possible."_

_"Rachel's that's awesome I'm happy for you," said Abby. "You'll be seeing me often since I'll be in Paris visiting my brother."_

_"Yea, we'll be here for you," said Hoagie encouragingly. "I have a pilot's license to get everyone there."_

_Wally, Fanny, Lee, and Sonia all nodded enthusiastically ready to visit her anytime they wanted. It was nice to have them all support her as Wally gave her a thumbs up. Lee was grinning and Sonia tried to give her a side hug. All her friends were in one place and that was all she needed to know._

_"I'll get us all another round of drinks," said Nigel getting up to go inside quick._

_Joining him Rachel followed leaving everyone to pick out a slice of pizza. At the bar Rachel found Nigel order a round for everyone. Eyes trained on him she patted his shoulder. Turning Nigel grinned as he saw her._

_"Shouldn't I be bringing this drink to you in celebration?"_

_"Yea but I wanted a moment with you." He grinned and reached out to take her hand pulling her close to kiss him. Seeing the cue Rachel arched up her feet and kissed him gently. Her eyes closed to relish in the kiss and Nigel eagerly wrapping his arm around hers._

_"I'm happy to have you staying in England with us," he said cautiously. "There's something that I wanted to bring up with you once we get alone for the day."_

_"Why not now?" After all, we are alone and I don't think we'll get any time alone with my brother at home."_

_Nigel nodded and got straight to his point. "Well now that you'll be in England and the current state of our relationship. I was wondering how you'd feel about getting married one day. At least after graduation."_

_The blond bit her bottom lip and thought about it. She was lucky enough to have a full-time job once graduated. Could she see having a life with Nigel in the future? "We'll definitely talk about it, but I like the idea."_

_They looked like they would kiss again before the bartender passed them drinks for the table._

The three girls found their time machine before they could get caught. Rachel just grinned to herself more than anything. Everything would be okay. She would not be recruited to be a teen ninja. She would not be in the teens and overworked, stressed, and tired all the time. In fact, the future her looked better than what she thought.

Her older self looked a bit dazed probably from not remembering all the details of that day. It looked like it was just about time to go back and she could feel her eyes close. Her decommissioning couldn't come fast enough it seemed wondering what time it was back where she was from.

Maggie was setting the machine to a new date. She was muttering something about someone named Tommy not stocking the cooler with enough food. Apparently this wasn't just her time machine, but she shared it with someone else.

"Here," said Maggie opening the door. Outside was the void of space staring back at them proving exactly where they were. "I extended the oxygen farther out if you want to sit next to the door."

Nodding Rachel went to do just that.

Her older self had a mug in her hand and passed her one. "It's chamomile tea, soothes the nerves."

They had their tea in their laps in front of them. The two Rachel's sat next to each other letting their feet hang out and into deep space. It was just super cool, thought Rachel, not wanting tonight to end.

She took a sip of her tea and sighed. Not able to stop herself she looked at her older self and asked, "Why did you come here? I mean what made you want to visit your soon to be thirteen-year-old self?"

The older her just shook her head. "My mother sold her house."

That made her freeze and look out into the void of space. Her house was gone? "Mom decided to downsize. Harvey moved out, and I'd been living in England. I tried to remember growing up in that house and I just couldn't." She saw her jaw tremble a little. "Maybe doing homework at the kitchen counter or something random. I was hoping to see one good memory from when I was young like that."

A lot of her time was dedicated to the KND. More time on moonbase or on missions then she spent at home. Never thinking she would one day lose it. Her decommissioning just made her childhood more like one big blur. That was something that she couldn't change not this late in the game.

"Was I into spying or something? I saw that gear in the corner of that room," said the older her.

"Um, yea, I'd catch Harvey taking some of my stuff. And those neighbors were always up to something."

They laughed as that was half the truth. The neighbors were pretty crazy, and she could see a lot with that telescope in her room. Rachel thought back and turned to look at Maggie who was muttering about some other person. Taking a sip of her tea she had one more place in mind. Going to whisper to her and glancing at her older self it was a good idea.

This time they landed in one last place. It was her house about five years ago. Outside it was snowing with a finished snowman in the front yard. They had landed in a room Rachel knew would be empty and cautiously pointed down to the living room. In the middle of the living room was her even younger, Harvey, and her mom.

"Just watch."

_"All right kids Christmas Day why don't you open your presents before breakfast?" asked Louise McKenzie. "I'm making my special chocolate chip pancakes."_

_"Yay!" said Harvey getting excited. "I call opening something first."_

_Before anyone could stop him, he tore off a present with his name on it. New roller skates looked back at him. Excited Rachel grabbed for one of hers and opened a new set of Doctor Time Space DVDs, season seven of the classic series. She got excited and hugged her mother._

_"Thank you, mom."_

_"Yea, the only thing that could be better is if dad was here," said Harvey._

_Rachel elbowed her brother once he said that. Her mother tried hard to hide her dismayed face. Seeing this she got up and hugged her mother tightly. "It's a great Christmas mom even without dad. We can see that movie we planned and visit grandma. It'll be our new tradition."_

_The brown-haired boy looked at his mother and nodded. "Yea, forget what I said. I like what we have."_

_"Thanks kids, just remember that we'll always have each other every Christmas ok?"_

_Harvey and Rachel nodded and continued to finish opening their presents._

The older her just smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears. It was a sweet memory and one that she'd always remember. It was a memory that they'd have in that house forever. They saw their movie and made it the first of their many traditions. Some of which she hoped carried on to adulthood.

The time machine got rolling again as Rachel finished her tea. That was good tea as she found herself falling asleep a little. The older her dozing off a little here and there too. Then jerked up when she pulled some of it together and glanced at Maggie piloting the machine.

Getting a closer look at her she could see it all right. It was her daughter she could see it in the face with her nose and full face. Her eyes and hair seemed to give it away. Somehow someway she married Nigel. She was their daughter. True she saw him in that second memory but to have a daughter. When did he even come back? Could he be in England right now?

"All right who wants to be dropped off first?" asked Maggie.

There was a slight snore next to her as Maggie first landed in whatever year she came from. Trying to stay awake Rachel only glanced out the door to find pictures on the wall of a family. It was dark to make out figures but smiled to herself.

Maggie stopped back and started for her time period and she headed somewhere.

"Before I go, I might just pass this off as a strange dream by tomorrow too," she said looking at Maggie. "But thank you. I wanted to know if everything would turn out okay after my decommissioning. I'm glad that it is."

"You're welcome."

With that Rachel stumbled to her bed and fell asleep. Maybe it was the traveling or maybe it was the tea, but that must have been the best nights sleep. She fell asleep smiling to herself wondering how it would happen. She had a good future to look forward to.


End file.
